New York, New York - New York City mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander have cross-endorsed each other in a bid to keep disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo out of office.

"We both love New York City," Lander says in a video shared to social media.

"And that's why it's so important to not send scandal-ridden, corrupt Andrew Cuomo to City Hall," adds Mamdani.

Mamdani, a state assemblymember from Queens, and Lander, the New York City comptroller, are part of the crowded Democratic primary race for mayor of the nation's largest city.

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The two candidates are asking voters to list each other as their second choice in New York's June 24 ranked-choice primary election.

The announcement comes as early voting opens in New York on Saturday, and as Mamdani and Lander seek to deny a political comeback to ex-governor Cuomo.

While in Albany, big money-backed Cuomo was accused of covering up Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic. He resigned from office in 2021 amid allegations of sexual assault from 11 women.

Formerly a Democrat, New York's incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is fighting for reelection as an independent in spite of his own serious corruption and sexual assault scandals.

Mamdani, seen as the most progressive contender in the race, has been steadily gaining on Cuomo in the polls, bolstered by an endorsement from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Lander is in third place.

"New Yorkers deserve so much better than a disgraced creep," Lander says in Friday's video.

"Let's send Andrew Cuomo back to the suburbs," the two politicians say as they cheers each other with takeaway coffees.